Debates of May 1st, 2002

Tax Credit

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough East, ON]

Madam Speaker, I asked a question of the Minister of Foreign Affairs whether under his watch the one China policy vis-à-vis Taiwan would change.

Taiwan is easily one of the most vigorous democracies in Asia. It has transformed itself from a military dictatorship to a vibrant democracy in less than two generations. Taiwan is also our fourth largest trading partner in Asia-Pacific and our 13th largest trading partner overall.

In the beginning of the 19th century, Taiwan was a colony of Japan. It was a fairly benign relationship. Among the older Taiwanese leaders Japanese is their second language.

In 1945 after the war, Japan let its colony go. That was followed by the invasion of Chiang Kai-shek. He was losing the war to Mao Tse-tung and he thought it was a keen place to set up shop in Taipei and proclaim the true legitimate government of China from Taipei. No one really believed this fiction, with the exception of course of Chiang Kai-shek and possibly his wife. His brutal government oppressed the leadership. He was succeeded by his son who might have been a kinder, gentler version but nevertheless had no legitimacy. Then the government of Taiwan started to transform itself into a true democracy.

The PRC was starting its journey toward a more powerful world entity and Canada negotiated its one China policy under then Prime Minister Trudeau. China in the negotiations wanted Canada to take note of the policy that it had that it claimed Taiwan. Canada duly took note. China's claim to Taiwan is specious at best and Canada's taking note is merely that; it takes note that China has a claim to Taiwan.

Unfortunately however, Canada conducts its affairs in a fashion which keeps an eye on what the PRC might think any time it enters into discussions with Taiwan. Unfortunately Canada seems to conduct its relationships as if there were just one China. This leads to multi levels of absurdity.

For instance, we have no formal diplomatic or government relations so we cannot receive the president of Taiwan or any of his cabinet ministers. Similarly our Prime Minister cannot visit Taiwan nor can any of the cabinet ministers even when it might well be in our best interests to do so. We cannot even have former President Lee here to commemorate the MacKay memorial. President Chen's wife is a paraplegic and she was invited to receive an award. A bit of a diplomatic kerfuffle was created over that point alone.

Indeed, Canada will not support Taiwan's request to be admitted to the WHO as an observer. We pile up absurdity upon absurdity and it is a policy frankly that needs a revisit.

Hence my question for the minister is, will Canada's one China policy change under his watch? How about a Taiwan policy? We are in the strange position of having formal government to government relationships with China which has a dubious record on human rights and is clearly not a democracy, but not having formal government to government relationships with one of the most vigorous, dynamic democracies and economies in the world. How much sense does that make?

[Aileen Carroll, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, I want to share with the member the policy of the government to date.

Canada remains encouraged by the continuing process of democratization in Taiwan, characterized most recently by free, open and peaceful elections in the legislative assembly, the Yuan. However, in keeping with our one China policy, Canada does not have diplomatic relations with the Republic of China.

Canada's one China policy is flexible enough to allow us to establish and maintain solid cultural, economic and individual ties with Taiwan. Canadian cultural and trade activity is evidence of these unofficial ties that are growing steadily.

Canadian companies continue to enjoy the benefits of our strong economic links, particularly in the high tech, aerospace, biotech, agrifood and environmental sectors. The Canadian trade office in Taipei has a trade and investment team made up of five Canadian trade commissioners supported by eight locally engaged commercial officers and assistants. All of them work to support Canadian companies in one of the most dynamic markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

The National Research Council of Canada maintains one of its most important R and D relationships in Asia with Taiwan's National Science Council. This year actually marks the fifth anniversary of a memorandum of understanding on scientific co-operation between Canada and Taiwan.

Canadian culture is also front and centre with shows and exhibits ranging from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to contemporary video artists from Quebec. We also have the Canadian Education Centre in Taipei which for many years has been successfully promoting Canadian higher education to Taiwanese.

All of this has been made possible through the sustained efforts on the part of Canadians who have been working to develop strong ties with the people of Taiwan. By working within the framework of our one China policy, we will continue to develop stronger economic, cultural and people to people ties with Taiwan.

Canada is not the only country with a one China policy, and we did not invent the concept. Even today, the Government of Taiwan continues to adhere officially to this principle. The fact is that there is no mechanism allowing a country to officially recognize both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, as Taiwan persists in wanting to be called.

We believe it is in the best interests of all for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to resolve their differences amicably. Canada continues to urge both Taipei and Beijing to engage in constructive dialogue in the resolution of those differences. Our concerns about the threat of military confrontation have been stressed to both sides along with our strong appeal for a peaceful and negotiated settlement.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough East, ON]

Madam Speaker, certainly it is charming and touching that we have people to people contacts and cultural things. However, that hardly deals with the issue. The issue is really about when we will have a nation to nation interaction with the democracy of Taiwan.

We have this bizarre situation where literally hundreds of thousands of people come from Taiwan to Canada, and back to Taiwan from Canada, and Canada will not support the country's admission to the WHO. Disease knows no global or jurisdictional boundaries, yet we have no protocols between the two countries.

We are in this bizarre position of where we say we support democracies but in fact we are supporting a dictatorship.

I put it to the hon. member again that as charming and touching as it might be for all of these people to people contacts, we need government contacts.

[Aileen Carroll, Liberal, Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his kind use of the word charming but I do think there was a little more meat to my response than the word charming would indicate.

That is to say it is not just warm and fuzzy people to people contacts. It is indeed some very strong economic, business, government research and cultural links. Those are the kinds of charming links that create a set of dynamics that produce very strong working relationships.

With regard to the World Health Organization, Canada fully supports Taiwan's access to all of its programs, all of the health protection and promotion available under the current circumstances. In no way do we block nor did we ever block access by many people in that country who need the services that are provided. They are currently able to access health information from the WHO. Canada would support a consensus on Taiwan's participation in the WHO.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7.12 p.m.)